[unreadable] The candidate has an educational background in mechanical engineering. Starting with his graduate studies in mechanical engineering, the candidate has been focused on applying mechanical engineering principles to the study of vascular biology. The immediate career goals of the candidate are to obtain a deeper understanding of molecular biology while learning advanced research techniques. The long term goals of the candidate are to establish a multi-disciplinary independent research program that can combine strengths in engineering and biology to further the knowledge and understanding of vascular biology and disease. The proposed research career development plan has several main components, including course work in molecular biology and vascular biology, training in advanced molecular biology research techniques, coursework in responsible conduct of research, attending scientific meetings, publishing and presenting research, and a research project which will use the new techniques and knowledge obtained by the candidate. The research component will be based on the central hypothesis that low fluid shear stress increases permeability of endothelial cells to macromolecule transport relative to physiologic levels of shear stress. The research will use a combination of intact artery perfusion culture models and cell culture based models. Complex unsteady flow waveforms will be used along with mathematical modeling of trans-endothelial transport. Molecular changes in endothelial proteins related to permeability will be determined and the corresponding signal pathways investigated. This research will shed new light on LDL transport across the vascular endothelium as related to the early stages of atherosclerotic lesion formation and the responsible molecular mechanisms. The research and training will take place at the Baylor College of Medicine, which is located within the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. The Department of Surgery at Baylor is ranked as fourteenth in the United States in NIH research funding, and strongly encourages young faculty members to pursue independence through interaction with senior faculty mentors. [unreadable] [unreadable]